Hankook Tire announced that it has launched its newest radial truck and bus tire (TBR), the Smart iON AU06+. This tire is a new commercial tire and the first to be introduced in the iON product portfolio as a premium electric vehicle (EV) tire in the Korean market.
This new tire is a brand new and upgraded version of Hankook’s Smart City AU06 tire which was the first tire specifically for electric buses previously launched by the company in 2020.
Citing the official website on Tuesday (18/10/2022), the Smart iON AU06+ tire is designed by combining Hankook’s innovative EV tire technology which is claimed to improve fuel efficiency, fast torque response and high load support.
Compared to the Smart City AU06, the new tires have 10% more grip on wet roads to counter the higher vehicle weight characteristics of electric buses caused by the large battery weight and high torque transmitted to the wheels.
In addition, Smart iON AU06+ tires also have a load carrying capacity that has been increased to 8 tons which is useful to accommodate a stable driving experience even with heavier loads.
Hankook supplies these tires with an abrasion-resistant tread compound to increase tread life and fuel efficiency. The specially designed compound of these tires allows for extended vehicle mileage compared to conventional truck and bus tires.
In particular, when installed on an electric bus, tests showed that the Hankook Smart iON AU06+ increased vehicle mileage by 25% compared to when the vehicle was fitted with conventional bus tires.
Taking into account the aerodynamic aspects of the electric bus, the Smart iON AU06+ features a specially designed tread pattern distributed along the sidewalls to reduce noise.
Not only that, the Hankook Smart iON AU06+ electric truck and bus tires are also equipped with cooling system technology to overcome complications such as overheating to ensure safer driving.
With the launch of the Smart iON AU06+, Hankook Tire plans to build a broad portfolio of electric TBR tires to cover a wide range of tires for different riding styles as well as improve ride quality through optimal ride comfort and low noise.
Currently, plans to develop two different electric TBR tires are in progress, including the Hankook iON City designed for urban driving, and the Hankook iON Flex for medium to long distance travel.
Upon completion, these two new products will soon begin to be supplied in the European market and will be gradually available in other global markets where further market expansion is also being planned.
Hankook introduces special tires for high performance electric vehicles
